READING, Pa. — Clover Farms Dairy has announced the completion of its New Jersey Fresh School Milk facility project, made possible through a $500,000 grant from the State of Vermont in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
The funding, awarded through the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), supports efforts to strengthen dairy supply chains and create long-term sustainability for dairy producers across the region. Matching funds were required as part of the grant award.
The project upgraded infrastructure and equipment at Clover Farms Dairy to allow for the purchase and segregation of milk from New Jersey dairy farmers, enabling the dairy to package and distribute half-pint cartons to K–12 schools throughout New Jersey.
New Jersey law requires public schools to serve students milk produced in the state whenever possible.
“The primary purpose of the grant was to upgrade the infrastructure and equipment at Clover Farms Dairy to allow for the purchase and segregation of milk from New Jersey dairy farmers for the capacity to package and sell milk half pints to K–12 school districts throughout New Jersey,” the company said in a statement.
Project work included repairing raw milk silos, installing a new product mix valve manifold to control milk flow, securing milk from New Jersey dairy farms, and obtaining purchasing commitments from New Jersey school districts. Clover Farms anticipates selling more than 13 million cartons annually to schools across the state.
Based in Reading, Pennsylvania, Clover Farms Dairy has been in business for more than 87 years and sources milk from over 150 independent farmers. The company distributes to schools, supermarkets, and wholesale customers across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and Delaware.
